Downtown Jacksonville Public Pier

[urbaknight]

inspiring!

Who are our candidates?

mayoral
council

They must ALL go on record stating their positions.

WE MUST NOT BE DISTRACTED by talk of the future extension of the Northbank Riverwalk!
Such a proposal does absolutely nothing to secure the pier for the use of the tax-paying public!

Flashmob march on city hall, anyone?

Hell yeah I'm all for a flashmob march on city hall!!!

[scottwilson]

I'd still be concerned. The entire site.  Shipyards III. Go back to the original poll. The administration doesn't want it separate. Its not happening with legislation from Dist. 4 or 7. That's why it should be one of the biggest city council and mayoral campaign issues. Nobody is making it happen.

Keep score.

This property is located in District 7 not District 4. I think it is fair to allow the District 7 representative to lead the way for his district.

[fieldafm]

There is a candidate running for Dist 7 in this upcoming March election who has expressed support for the Bay Street Pier Park.

Keep score!!

[tufsu1]

I'd still be concerned. The entire site.  Shipyards III. Go back to the original poll. The administration doesn't want it separate. Its not happening with legislation from Dist. 4 or 7. That's why it should be one of the biggest city council and mayoral campaign issues. Nobody is making it happen.

Keep score.

This property is located in District 7 not District 4. I think it is fair to allow the District 7 representative to lead the way for his district.

and therein lies the problem...both Districts include downtown....in fact, this property is less than 3 blocks from District 4....both council members should speak up!

[tufsu1]

actually I stand corrected...it appears the Pier itself is in District 4!

[fieldafm]

actually I stand corrected...it appears the Pier itself is in Diostrict 4!

That's what I thought too...

[north miami]

I believe the candidates can remain safely obscure because in fact there may in reality be very little ardent community interest and support for Downtown public access,spontaneous access Blueways etc.It's just not in the demographic.

I often ask myself "what would San Francisco do?" only to remind myself of the almost visceral differences in the two communities.After all,even many of my own Avondale neighbors shy away from 'downtown'.

I see too another gigantic force,development 'pressure', reflective as a parallel with conservation lands purchase legacy.Here we have a downtown parcel dangling between the prospect of more intense development vs. less intense development and public use.No different than the earlier fate before what is now Guana Sate Park/Wildlife Management Area,Talbot Islands,Jennings Forest.The list is long,as is the list of lands that were 'lost' to development.The entire process in a behind the scenes/non JonQpublic operation no matter how oriented to public interest.
In the 70's and 80's,conservationists were scolded:"If you tell me what to do with my land....Buy It!!!"So that is what we enabled,beginning with the Conservation and Recreation Lands Act,Save our Rivers etc.
And with C.A.R.L. in place,the theme then morphed to outright opposition to conservation land purchase.A long time transpired before Northeast Florida saw a C.A.R.L. purchase.The same force that would further compromise the already compromised Freedom Commerce wetland tract in the name of Preservation Jacksonville.A pervasive,insidious force,part & parcel amidst public apathy,a sense of futility created by design.

And that is the energy behind why candidate's positions and community zeal regarding Downtown Jacksonville Public Pier is twilight zone to many of us.......................

[Noone]

I'd still be concerned. The entire site.  Shipyards III. Go back to the original poll. The administration doesn't want it separate. Its not happening with legislation from Dist. 4 or 7. That's why it should be one of the biggest city council and mayoral campaign issues. Nobody is making it happen.

Keep score.

This property is located in District 7 not District 4. I think it is fair to allow the District 7 representative to lead the way for his district.

and therein lies the problem...both Districts include downtown....in fact, this property is less than 3 blocks from District 4....both council members should speak up!

Tufsu, You are so right. Legislation is the language of the community. We are 90 days out and its not happening. The pier is a single. We are just starting the game. With a new Mayor and city council 90 days out we are getting our line up together.
The rookie McCullough running in Dist.7 he's indicated that he wants to go to the plate. And he's gotten his feet wet with Hogans Creek. Maybe he'll get hit with the pitch but HEY. He's on base.
Don's had all the training in the world. He is sitting on the Board of DVI. Downtown is part of his district. He is on the Waterways Commission. So why is he still sitting on the bench?
Don and I were right there. Scott you too. At the special committee meeting on 2010-604 which was the legislation that gave the Shipyards/Landmar property back to the people of Jacksonville. Not skill. Just Dumb Luck. Before we headed out of the Bullpen on the 4Th floor from the committee meeting we had a pep talk from Steve Rohan and Cindy Laquidara. (The coaches). We can attach an amendment to the legislation now or we can do it later. We didn't attach the legislation. Now here we are and its later and it still hasn't happened.

Be concerned.
Keep score.

[Noone]

Yes a pier in and of itself is fine.  It makes a lot of sense and should be done as promised years ago.  All I'm saying is that the carnival like atmosphere stuff won't work without the surrounding property having uses that draw heavy foot traffic to the area.

Lake you are right in that the heavy foot traffic is also needed. What I hope that people realize is that and I may be off with this but our Depts are are becoming centralized.

We now have Parks,Recreation,Entertainment and now to include Conservation. Shipyards/Landmar and its just dumb luck that we are getting it back will now focus on flex space with more special events that will generate revenue for the city. If that is the plan then OK.

The Pier and those that want to embark on the entrepreneurial spirit can be allowed to do so and then be outside of the special events guidelines that are imposed on special events and be able to operate when the heavy foot traffic isn't there.

The use of containers because we are a port city. They can be retrofitted for commercial use. Sturdy. Show up and open the door and your in business.
Types of business.
Food container.
Exercise container
Art container
Sportsmans container
Informational container.

60 days out from an election.
What is the position of the candidates for our NEW Mayor and city council on keeping the pier separate? We know its not happening with  leadership in Dist.4

Mr. O'Byrne the NEW director for Visit Jacksonville.

Mr. Anderson the NEW director of the JPA.

Has this been discussed within the NEW JCCI study that is underway Recession, Recovery, and Beyond?

What is the position of the NEW leadership at the Chamber?

At the next city council meeting 1/25/11 the council will welcome Tera Meeks as our NEW Chief of the Waterfront Management & Programming Division of the Recreation & Community Services Department.
In 10 hours a special committee meeting of Rules/RCD/LUZ on 2010-856 the transient vendor ban and a potential amendment that would exempt the Waterways of our St. Johns River our American Heritage River.

Be concerned.
 

[Noone]

47 days out from the spring elections and what are the positions of the candidates on the Promised Downtown Jacksonville Public Pier?

The Public Trust has just been crushed in this community.
Not more access but less access and economic opportunity to the river.

Pocket Parks - Pocket Piers (floating dock). Two years out and not one location or sponsor to take back to the commissioners of FIND. What a joke.

2010-856- Active pending legislation that is before the Jacksonville city council. A transient vendor ban. Will the Waterways of the St. Johns River be exempt as the SJRA is seeking a state designation of a Blueway Paddling trail for the St. Johns River our American Heritage River. The state of Florida is wanting to know if an amendment will be attached.

Its not happening with the leadership in Dist. 4

Be concerned.

[north miami]

47 days out from the spring elections and what are the positions of the candidates on the Promised Downtown Jacksonville Public Pier?



Pocket Parks - Pocket Piers (floating dock). Two years out and not one location or sponsor to take back to the commissioners of FIND. What a joke.


Be concerned.

Could or should the Jacksonville Waterways Commission have involvement?? There is a tie in there to The Trust for Public Lands which has been pretty much joined at the hip with City government.

[urbaknight]

47 days out from the spring elections and what are the positions of the candidates on the Promised Downtown Jacksonville Public Pier?

The Public Trust has just been crushed in this community.
Not more access but less access and economic opportunity to the river.

Pocket Parks - Pocket Piers (floating dock). Two years out and not one location or sponsor to take back to the commissioners of FIND. What a joke.

2010-856- Active pending legislation that is before the Jacksonville city council. A transient vendor ban. Will the Waterways of the St. Johns River be exempt as the SJRA is seeking a state designation of a Blueway Paddling trail for the St. Johns River our American Heritage River. The state of Florida is wanting to know if an amendment will be attached.

Its not happening with the leadership in Dist. 4

Be concerned.

I've heard of the Blueway Paddling Trail, What exactly is it?

[Noone]

NM, Susan Grandin, Executive Director of the Trust for Public Lands use to be on the Commission. Unfortunately what has been occurring is that legislation that should be before the Waterways Commission for discussion is being cherry picked upstairs and is corrupting the intent of this oversight Commission.

The Public Trust has been crushed in this community. meeting in 3 1/2 hours my councilman Don Redman has done nothing. Now on the Board of DVI, Doesn't support a pocket pier in Dist.4. Refuses to offer legislation on 2010-604 and the Promised 680' Downtown Public Pier, Not offering an amendment to 2010-856.

What is the position of the Civic council on the pier and the rest of the Waterfront component of their plan? Will it come before Waterways? Even a courtesy presentation.   

[fieldafm]

The civic council report adopts Ben Carter's ideas about a miniature amusement park on the site of Bay Street Pier Park.

I spent half a day exploring the Brooklyn Pier Park spaces last week... not one of the current or proposed pier parks utilize a ferris wheel.  In fact, all of the pier parks that make up the entire complex all encourage active use of the space(walking, running, biking, kayaking, restaurants on barges/boats tied to docks, outdoor yoga space, fishing, sightseeing, outdoor ampitheatres, outdoor movies overlooking the NY skyline, tons of sports fields, container storefronts, public restrooms, tons of benches overlooking the skyline etc).  There was even a wedding party taking pictures on one of the parkspaces with the majestic site of the downtown skyline behind them.  Why muck up Jacksonville's FRONT PORCH with a giant ferris wheel?!?!?!

Noone, we need to get some renderings in front of the Civic Council at their next meeting.  They clearly need some education in this area.\

The Bay Street Pier Park could be built for about the cost of the proposed courthouse public plaza.  Let the rest of the Shipyards site be able to evolve naturally with the market(residential, commercial, light industrial) but seperate the park from the entire site.  It would only COMPLEMENT the market-driven movement on the remaining 41 acres.

[urbaknight]

NM, Susan Grandin, Executive Director of the Trust for Public Lands use to be on the Commission. Unfortunately what has been occurring is that legislation that should be before the Waterways Commission for discussion is being cherry picked upstairs and is corrupting the intent of this oversight Commission.

The Public Trust has been crushed in this community. meeting in 3 1/2 hours my councilman Don Redman has done nothing. Now on the Board of DVI, Doesn't support a pocket pier in Dist.4. Refuses to offer legislation on 2010-604 and the Promised 680' Downtown Public Pier, Not offering an amendment to 2010-856.

What is the position of the Civic council on the pier and the rest of the Waterfront component of their plan? Will it come before Waterways? Even a courtesy presentation.   

Don Redman has to go, it was said that, he'd be a bad choice before he even got elected. Then he tried to move Haloween that's was a frivolous move on his part. Vote "NO" for Redman!